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An Abuja High Court has fixed May 3 for the trial of former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, facing charges of diverting funds meant for the purchase of arms for soldiers fighting insurgency in northeast Nigeria.
Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf fixed the date and directed that the prosecution allow full access to lawyers to Colonel Dasuki during business hours of Monday to Friday to enable them take instructions and prepare defence for their client.
Lead counsel to Colonel Dasuki, Mr Joseph Daudu, had complained that he had no information of the whereabouts of his client except in court, prompting the judge to give the directive.
The former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, alongside two other accused persons, arrived the court more than three hours before commencement of proceedings.
At the proceedings, the prosecutor, Adebisi Adeniji, pressed for the commencement of the trial but the defense applied for a long adjournment of the case because they were not ready.
He said that the defence team had no access to the accused except in court, making it impossible for them to take instructions or prepare necessary materials for the defence.
He also drew the court’s attention to an application earlier filed for stay of proceedings by the court pending the determination of a similar matter at the Appeal Court.
The prosecutor, however, denied claims by the defence that the accused was denied access to his lawyers.
While Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf directed that the prosecution give the defence team access to Colonel Dasuki during business hours in the next two weeks, he held that the case before him need not be put on hold until the appellate court gives its verdict; a ruling the defence counsel hopes to take to the higher court.
He then adjourned the case till May 3 for the commencement of trial.
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